I took one of the Icon of the Seas preview cruises and spent most of my three nights lost and overwhelmed by the size and amenities of the ship. Brittany Chang/Business Insider
Royal Carribbean’s Icon of the Seas will sail her first seven-night voyages in January.
The new largest cruise ship in the world has never-before-seen features such as a water park with six slides.
Here are nine things travelers should know about the new megaship.
I was one of the first guests to travel on Royal Caribbean’s newest ship: the $2 billion (over 920.5 million euros) Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world.
Yes, it was huge. Yes, I’ve never seen anything like that. And yes, it was sensory overload. (I think I need a vacation from this vacation.)
The icon of the sea is unlike any other floating resort. As the first ship in Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class, the 250,800 gross ton vessel dwarfs virtually all of her predecessors in both size and number of waterslides, pools, restaurants and cabin options.
Read too
First drive of the “Icon of the Seas”: This is behind the incredible boom of the gigantic new cruise ships
Before the premiere on January 27th, Royal Caribbean invited me on a complimentary three-night advance sailing. Unfortunately, I spent most of the time getting lost and being overwhelmed by the many impressions.
So that this doesn’t happen to you, I’ll give you nine things you should know before your trip:
I was one of the first guests on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas — these are the 9 things you should know about what it’s like on the world’s largest cruise ship
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
1. If you want to reserve a dinner or a show, arrive much earlier than expected.
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2. Luckily, the most sought-after activities are in the same section.
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3. You are probably underestimating the number of children you will see on the ship
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If you are afraid of small children, avoid the Surfside.
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4. The ship has a handful of adults-only areas.
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5. Some of Icon’s amenities come at a luxury price.
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If you have the money to buy the 170 m² townhouse, why not splurge on dinner, which costs $200 per person?
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6. You could still blow your vacation budget without having to miss out on these luxuries
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If you drink alcohol, you’ll love Icon’s 20 bars and nightclubs
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7. Speaking of which – alcohol plus a cruise no longer equals piña coladas and mai tais by the pool.
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8. Your cabin may be smaller than expected.
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I’m not sure a family of four could coexist peacefully in this small cabin.
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9. Evening entertainment is varied for a cruise line that follows the typical dinner-and-a-show model.
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